Machine for wrapping butter



, INVENTOR Lowell 1?; Newton ATTORNEY May 15, 1945. 1.; R. NEWTON MACHINE FOR WRAPPING BUTTER Filed Sept. 25, 1942 A mam unnullmmnu,

place.

Patented May, 15, 1945 PATENT OFFICE MACHINE FOB WRAPPING BUTTER Lowell R. Newton, Chicago, 111., assignor toIndustrial Patents Corporation, Chicago, 111., a

corporation of Delaware Application September 23, 1942, Serial No. 459,365

11 Claims. (Cl. 93-2) I This invention relates to a machine for wrapping an article and more particularly to a means for pleating and folding a wrapper tomake a neat package. 7

It isan object of thisinvention to provide a machine that will uniformly pleat andvfold a wrapping material around an article.

It is another object of this inventionto-provide a machine for rapidly creasing and folding a wrapping material around a deformable prod not such as butter. v e 7 It is another object of this invention to provide a package wherein a art or the wra per may serve as a dish in which the article may be disposed for subsequentuse. J Other objects will appear below.

In the drawing: 7 Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine partly broken away showing the parts in their respective positions with an article andthe wrapping material disposed on the article support.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the machine I partly broken away showing the positions of the parts after one of the wrappers has been driven through one of the forming dies. Q

Figure 3 is aside. elevation of the machine partly broken away showing the positions .of the parts after the bottom wrapper has been folded and pleated around the article andwith the ar-' ticle and wrapper driven through the other die to complete the pleating and folding of the package.

Figure 4 is a perspective of Figure 3. i g I In the past, mechanical means for pleating wrappers around articles have been proposed and means have beenprovided to engage a wrapping material disposed on each side of an article to the view shown in pleat and fold the material against the article.-

The present invention is an improvement on machines of this type and, as will be seen, the article being wrapped is first lightly clamped onto an article support to be thereafter manipulated through suitable forming dies whereby the wrapping material is'flrst pleated and then folded against the article to provide a neat and attractive package.

The die means here disclosed are effective to pleat and fold first one wrapper and then another wrapper over the ends of the article, then sealing means are applied to hold'the wrappers in Manually or automatically controlled drive means may be utilized to effect the proper sequence of events and a rapid and uniform ackv aging of the articles is obtained.

spect to the die as shown in Figure 1, by springs IS. The die i4 is provided with a suitably configured aperture I6 to properly crease the wrapper i2 .when itis driven therethrough as will appear below and the die It is rotatably mounted on the supporting frame i1. Suitable means may be connected to the die M to permit it to be turned and integral with the die are the upstanding latching rods it which are each provided with the notches l9. The rods it, serve to center the wrappers H and I2 as they are assembled on the summit l3 with respect to the article being wrapped and also engage and support another die means for pleating and folding wrapper ll.

Integral with the article support I! and normally urged upwardly therewith by springs II, is the cross arm 20. The cross arm 20 extends laterally on each side of the article support and 1 is provided with bearing surfaces 2| at its extreme ends, which surfaces slide on the bearing rods 25. The supporting i'rame l1 integral with the bed of the machine is provided with suitable slots 26 in each side thereof so that the arm 20 may move vertically with the article support. A piston 30 is positioned above the article support and in alignment with it and when the piston is moved downwardly it eng'agesthe upper surface of the wrapper II to clamp the wrappers and article lightly against the article sup- 40 port. Spacers 3i integral with the piston 30 slide on the vertical rods 25 to engage the ends of cross arm 20 and the spacers are carried by the crosshead fl-flxed to the piston rod 83. The

' piston 30, spacers 3|, crosshead 32, and the piston hausted from the lowermost side of the cylinder 35 while the driving head moves downwardly.

Carried with the piston 33 and spacers 3| is another forming die 31 having arms 33 integral therewith. At their outer ends, arms 33 are provided with hooks 33 shaped to closely engage spacers 3| and the hooks are engaged above lugs 40 so that the die 31 is carried downwardly with piston 30 and is aligned thereby with die I4.

As the article support I3 moves downwardly from the position shown in Figure 1 to the position shown in Figure 2, the wrapper in assing through the die It is pleated in a regular manner by the configured aperture I6 and after the article and wrapper have reached the position shown in Figure 2, the die I4 is rotated about its mounting through the die I4 to pleat the wrapper. As

soon as the spacers 3| reach the lowermost point of their stroke and the piston 30 has forced the article through the aperture I6, the die I4 is rotated to fold the pleats against the article and to remove the die 31 from-its support on piston 30 and spacers 3| to hold it in fixed position over die I4 so that upon the return of the article on support I3, the die 31 will pleat the wrapper II.

After the wrapper I2 has been pleated and folded, piston 30 is retracted and the article is delivered upwardly through the forming die 31 by springs I5 positioned behind the cross arm 20, the piston 30 being lifted by the pneumatic motor 35. The movement of the wrapper and article I I through the die 31 effects a pleating and fold- ,ing of the wrapper and'the packaging of the disposed in concentric relation with respect to the piston and when the piston is retracted upon proper manipulation of the valve 36, the die 31 will remain supported from die I4 in proper.

alignment with the article clamped on the support I3 such that wrapper I I is pleated in this die.

As the piston 30 and spacers 3| are retracted, the cross arm 20 will be raised by springs I5 and the article support I3 will be lifted from the position shown in Figure 2 to the position shown in Figure 3. The wrapper 'II will be forced through the forming die 31 as the support I3 moves upwardly whereby this wrapper is pleated. Die 31 is formed to first pleat the wrapper and to then fold the pleats against the article when it is forced through the die 31,- and to perform the folding operation the die 31 is provided with a cylindrical upper surface which engages the pleats formed to lay them neatly against the article. It will be noted that the springs|5 cause the article and article support to closely follow the retracting piston so that the article is lightly clamped in position while the pleating of the wrapping material takes place.

When the support with the article has reached the upper end of its stroke and piston 33 has been fully retracted, the article and the pleated and folded wrapper will be projected through the die 31 in substantially the manner shown in Figure 3 so that the operator may place a rubber band or other sealing strip around the completed package to hold the wrappers II and I2 tightly against the article.

The die 31 may be provided with an upper surface 4| that slants inwardly toward the article, which surface may serve to guide the. sealing band into position against the wrapped article. After the sealing band has been placed around the package, the article may beremoved by lifting it vertically through the die 31 and the machine may then be set up for the next operation.

After the article has been withdrawn, the die 31 may be removed from the notches I3 and manually reset to the position shown in Figure 1' so that the machine will be ready to receive another article with its wrapping materials.

To summarize the operation of this machine,

an article may be placed on the article support between wrappers II and I2 which are centered upon the support by pins I8. After the article The article support I3 arid the piston 30 are pref-* erably also of substantially the same cross-section as the .article being wrapped so that no undue strains will be developed at the edges of the article when the wrapper is turned therearound as the assembly passes through either one of the dies.

By reason of the structure just described wherein the article support and the driving piston 30 have substantially the same cross-section as the article, a particular advantage is obtained whereby deformable materials such as butter, cheese and other semi-plastic or semi-solid articles may be driven through the dies to pleat and to fold the wrappers. The piston 30 as above explained will lightly engage the article and the real power drive to move the assembly through die It is supplied through the spacers 3| and cross arm .20. The article cannot be crushed and the piston 30 will serve to merely hold the article in proper position on the support as it is manipulated through the dies with its wrappers.

The spacers 3| are also operative to prevent a crushing of the deformable object during the upward stroke and springs I5 drive the article support against the spacers to hold the article fixed to thesupport as the piston retracts so that wrapper II is driven through die 31.

The dies, article support, spacers and driving piston, could obviously all be made removable'so that other means of desired cross-section could be substituted therefor in order to package any article having a particular shape.

In packaging an article such as butter or cheese, in one form of the invention, one of the wrappers, preferably the under wrapper I2, could be made of a relatively heavy but workable material suitable for serving as a convenient container for the article after it is unpacked. The wrapper being self-sustaining might even be printed in an artistic manner to provide a dish in which the article could be used on the table.

While the above is a description of the preferred asvao're construction of this invention and one mode of its application, many modifications may occur to those skilled in the art all of which arecontemplated to be within 'thescope of the following claims.

I claim: 1. A machine for forming apackage around an article comprising a, movable support to' receive- -the article with a wrapping material disposed on each side thereof, a forming die positioned to engage said material on one side of said article and another forming die positioned to engage the material on the other -side of said article, means to effect the movement of the article on said support through one of said dies and then through the other of said'dies to pleat and fold said material around the article. 1

2. A machine for forming a package around an article comprising a support to receive the article with a wrapping material disposed on each side thereof, means to urge said support in one direction. a forming die positioned to engage said material on one side of said article and another forming die positioned to engage the material on the other side of said article, means to effect the movement of the article on said support through one of said dies and said urging means then driving the article on said support through the other of said dies to pleat and fold said material around the article.

3. A machine for forming a package around an article comprising a movable support to receive the article with a wrapping material disposed on each side thereof, a forming die positioned to engage said material on one side of said article 2 and another forming die positioned to engage the material on the other side of said article, said movable support being disposed between both of said dies for movement longitudinally through one of the dies. means to effect the movement of an article on said support through said one die and then through the other of said dies to pleat and fold both of said wrappers around the article. 4. A machine for forminga package around an article comprising a movable support to receive the article with a wrapping material disposed on each side thereof, said movable support having a supporting surface the dimensions of which are the same as the cross-sectional dimensions of the article disposed on the support, a forming die positioned to engage said material on one side of said article and another forming die positioned to engage the material on the other side of said article. means to effect the movement of an article on said support through one of said dies and then through the other of said dies to pleat and fold said material around the article.

5. A machine for forming a package around an article comprising a movable support to receive the article with a wrapping material disposed on each side thereof. a rotatably mounted forming die positioned to engage said material on one side of said article and another forming die positioned to engage the material on the other side of said article. means coacting between said forming dies whereby one die is supported from the other die. means to effect the movement of an article on said support through one of said diesand then through the other of said dies to pleat and fold said material around the article.

6. A machine for fprming a package around an article comprising a movable support to receive the article with a wrapping material disposed on each side thereof, a rotatably mounted forming diepositi'oned to engage said material on one side of said article and another forming die positioned to engage the material on the other side of said article, said last named die being movable into a position adjacent said first named die, and means coacting between said dies whereby said last named die is supported from said rotatably mounted die, means to effect the movement of an article on said support through one of said dies and then through the other of said dies to pleat and fold said material around the article.

7. A machine for forming a package around an article comprising a movable support to receive the article with a wrapping material disposed on each side thereof, a forming die podies and then through the'other of said dies to pleat and fold said material around the article.

the guide surface on said other die being utilizedafter the article has been pushed through said other die to direct a sealing band into position around the article whereupon the; completed package may be withdrawn from the machine.

8. A machine for forming a package around an article comprising a movable support to receive the article with a wrapping material disposed on each side thereof, a forming die positioned to engage said material on one side of said article and another forming die positioned to engage the material on the other side of said article, reciprocating drive means to effect the movement of an article on said support through one of said dies and then through the other of said dies to pleat and fold said material around ihe article, said drive means having a stroke of ength to just force the article through the first pleat said material on each side of the article including means to clamp the article lightly against said movable. support, one forming \die positioned to engage the material on one side of said article and another forming die positioned to engage the material on the other side of said article, and driving means to effect the movement of the article and wrapping material clamped to said support through said one die and thereafter through said other die whereby said material may be pleated and folded around the article to complete the package.

10. A machine for forming a wrapper around a deformable article comprising a movable support to receive the article with a sheet of wrap ping material disposed on each side thereof; said -upport being' mounted for reciprocatory movement and having a cross arm integral therewith: said support being mounted to be normally urged in one direction; means to urge said support in said direction; one forming die positioned to engage one of said sheets of the-wrapping material and another forming die movable into aposition to engage the other sheetof material on the other sideof said article: driving means to effect the movement of the article on'said support through said one die includingmeans to engage the article on said support to hold it firmly and having means to engage said cross :arm to drive the support; wrapper, and article through said one forming die whereby said sheet of material may'be pleated and folded around t e article; said urging means of the movable I support driving'said article and said other sheet of wrapping material through said other die when said driving means is retracted whereby said other sheet of wrapping material may be pleated and folded around said article.

11. A machine forforming a wrapper around an article comprising a movable support to receive the articl with a sheet of wrapping material rection, means to urge said support in said direction a forming die disposed in concentric relation with respect to the axis of movement of said support and positioned to engage one of said sheets of wrapping material, driving means to effect the movement of the article on said support through said die, said driving means ineluding a clamping means reciprocable into engagement with the article disposed on said ,support and spacing means integral with said clamping means to engage said cross arm whereby the clamping means is positively spaced from said support a distance slightly less than the thickness of said article so that the article is first lightly clamped against said support and upon further reciprocation of said driving means one of said wrappers is forced through said die, another die removably supported on said driving means, and means coacting between said dies to remove said other die from said driving means and to support it in alignment with said first named die to pleat said other sheet of wrapping material as said driving means is retracted.

' LOWELL R. NEWTON. 

